Refrigerating apparatus



June 29, 1937.. H. F. SMITH REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Harm F 501/1 BY W f/lS ATTORNEYS.

June 29, 1937., H. F. SMITH REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m WM El VM 5 F w n fl.

H/s ATTORNEYS,

Watenieol June 29 K37 REFRIGERATKNG APPARATUS poration of Delaware Application August 119, 1936, Serial No. 96,823

ll) Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to refrigerating systems having a safety device incorporated therein.

An object of the present invention is to provide refrigerating apparatus particularly of the type for cooling or conditioning air within a room which apparatus is provided with means for preventing condensate water ordinarily flowing therefrom from creating unsightly and/or damaging results.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating apparatus of the air cooling type with an automatically operated means for stopping the operation thereof when abnormal or undesirable conditions occur.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a still further object of the invention to provide a refrigerating apparatus with a means for rendering the apparatus inoperative which means is normally ineffective and rendered effective by an accumulation of condensate water therein.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view partly in section and partly diagrammatic, showing a refrigerating apparatus having the present invention embodied therein; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Referring to the drawings, for illustrating the present invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 thereof a room cooling apparatus housed within a cabinet generally represented by the reference character It].- Cabinet H] has a closed refrigerating system mounted therein and the system includes an evaporator having a gaseous refrigerant conduit I2 and a liquid refrigerant conduit l3 connecting same to a refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit. The refrigerant liquefying and a circulating unit includes a compressor l4 and an electric motor l5 operatively connected to the. compressor through suitable belt and pulley connections. The unit also includes a condenser IE to which conduit I3 is connected and this'condenser may be cooled in any desirable or wellknown manner. In the present showing of the apparatus a water flow circuit is employed to cool the condenser l6 and this circuit includes a coil I] mounted in the compartment housing the refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit and is utilized to remove heat of compression from the compartment. The refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit is preferably mounted upon a base which is suspendingly supported in the lower compartment of the cabinet. Evaporator ll is disposed horizontally Within cabinet l0 intermediate the top and bottom thereof. A fan l8 operatively connected to an electric motor i9 is mounted in the uppermost portion of cabinet ill. This fan i8 is adapted to draw air into cabinet l0, through suitable louvres or openings 2| provided in a side wall thereof, and to force the air over evaporator H where it is chilled or cooled by the refrigerating effect produced by the evaporator. The cooled air is caused to flow by fan l8 out of the cabinet or casing Ill into the room. to be cooled through openings 22 provided in the top wall of cabinet Hi. In cooling air passing thereover the evaporator withdraws moisture from the air and a pan or receptacle 24 is mounted below the evaporator to catch moisture dripping therefrom. A pipe 25 is connected to pan 24 and extends downwardly therefrom to convey, by gravity flow, the condensate water caught in pan 24 to a suitable drain source.

Liquid refrigerant flowing from the condenser l6 of the refrigerating system into evaporator II is controlled by an expansion valve 26. Valve 26 has a pipe connection 21 with a thermostat bulb 28 mounted upon the gaseous refrigerant conduit l2 and responsive to the temperature of refrigerant flowing therethrough. Operation of the refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit is controlled by a switch 3| preferably of the snap acting type actuated by an expansible and contractible bellows 32 having a pipe connection 33 with the gaseous refrigerant conduit l2 and responsive to pressures in the low side of the refrigerating system. Switch 3| is interposed in.

the one power line of the pair 34 and 35 thereof leading to motor iii. A thermal overload switch 38 of any suitable or conventional design is interposed in the power line 35 leading to motor I5 and is adapted to break or open the circuit to the motor when the resistance to flow of electric current through the motor increases to an abnormal degree to prevent so-called burning of the motor under heavy loads. A magnetic valve 3'] is interposed in the refrigerant conduit l3 of the closed refrigerating system and is electrically connected by wires 38 and 39 to a thermostatic switch 4| and to the power lines 34 and 35. Switch 4| is adapted to be positioned in the room to be cooled and is actuated in response to temperatures therein to open or close valve 37 to thereby permit or prevent flow of liquid refrigerant to expansion valve 26. The switch 4i may also control operation of motor l9 and consequently fan l8 so that when valve 31 is opened the fan creates a circulation of air over the evaporator and into the room to be cooled. The apparatus thus far described is conventional and well-known to those skilled in the art and no further or detailed description thereof is believed necessary herein.

Since my invention is directed to an improved apparatus of the type described and pertains to the stopping of the apparatus when certain abnormal or undesirable conditions occur during operation thereof I will now describe this improved system. While the moisture removed from the air cooled by evaporator II of the refrigerating system is adapted to drip from the evaporator into the pan or receptacle 24 and flow by gravity through pipe 25 to a drain such pipes or drains quite frequently get stopped up or become clogged and prevent the flow of water therethrough. If the refrigerating system is permitted to continue operation after the drain becomes ineffective for carrying drip water of condensation away from the cabinet of the refrlgerating apparatus, an abnormal condition ocours in that drip water accumulates in the drip pan or receptacle 24 and will overflow same. The drip water upon overflowing the pan 24 is likely to flow on or into the electric motor I5 of the refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit, or into other electrical elements of the apparatus disposed below pan 24, and will cause shortcircuiting or burning of parts of the motor or of the other electrical elements. Therefore it is highly important that the refrigerating system of the apparatus be rendered inoperative when such abnormal condition occurs until after this condition has been remedied or corrected.

I interpose an upstanding pipe $5 in the drain pipe 25 and dispose a safety device in pipe which will, when water accumulates in pan 24 to a point near that to cause overflow of the pan,

render the refrigerating system inoperative to cease cooling of the air so as to indicate to the user or those present in the room being cooled that some abnormal condition has occurred that must be corrected before the apparatus will function to produce the desired results. Such a safety device may be placed directly in the pan 24 if desired, but to simplify the construction of a device of this type and to insure its operation only at the time required I prefer to mount the device outside the pan 24. Therefore the device disclosed in the present disclosure comprises an electric element generally represented by the reference character 46 and having an outer threaded metal terminal 4'! insulated by an insulation or the like plug 48 from a centrally located terminal Q9. The plug M2 is hollow and has metal members 5! extending through its side wall into contact with the terminal 47. The inner ends of the metal members 511 are bent as at 52 to form a support or abutment for a coil spring 53. Spring 53 surrounds a metal rod 5t and is confined within the hollowed out portion of plug 68 between cup-like metal washers 55 the upper one oi? which is secured under a head formed on rod A wire ill coiled around rod 54 has its upper end soldered to the upper metal washer 55 and has its other end soldered or otherwise suitably secured to lower washer 55 which lies in contact with the ends 52 of poemhers 5!. It will therefore be seen that the aosaive threaded metal outer terminal 41 is conductlvely connected with the head 56 of rod 56 through the metal pieces 5i, lower washer 55, wire 51 and the collar surrounding the upper end of rod 54. The enlarged lower end of element 46 has a plate-like washer of insulating material 6| secured thereto by a metal collar 62 crimped over a shoulder formed on the element 46 to close the hollowed out or open-ended portion thereof. This collar 62 is provided with a plurality of depending legs 63 which are utilized for resiliently engaging the outer upper end of pipe 45 to removably secure the element 46 thereto. A pair of vertically disposed plates 64 and 65 have an upper shoulder portion 66 thereof extended through the insulating washer BI and secured thereto by pins 61. The pair of plates 64 and 65 are held in spaced apart relation by a stud 69 which is riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereto intermediate the top and bottom portions thereof. There is a rotatable member ll below stud 69 which is threaded at one of its ends into the plate 65 and has its other end extended through a suitable opening provided in plate 64. The member II is split as at 12 for a purpose to be presently described. The lower end of rod 54 is bent outwardly and around against itself as at T3 to form an eye portion having a straight shank part 14 extending horizontally between the plates 64 and 65. A strip of paper 15, preferably of a character that is soft and will readily absorb water to thus cause same to lose its tensile strength so as to be easily torn such, for example, as ordinary newspaper or thin blotting paper, has its one end '16 coiled in overlapping relation around the stud 69 so as to hold this end against rotation or movement relative to stud 69. The strip of paper 715 is then passed through the eye portion formed by rod 54 while the rod is held in a position such as shown in the drawings and the paper is tightly stretched between the stud 69 and shank part it of rod 54 to separate the head 56 formed on rod 54 from the terminal 49. The opposite end 17 of paper strip i5 is then placed in the slot 12 of member H and member H is threaded into plate 65. Rotation of member ll causes the paper adjacent the end 11 thereof to be wound around the member H to thereby tightly stretch the paper strip at points intermediate its ends 16 and 17. The paper strip 15 while being maintained in the stretched position shown in the drawings holds the rod 54 in a downward position against the tension of spring 53 which is compressed between the washers 55.

Another element in the form of a conventional electrical socket BI is threaded upon the threaded terminal 47 of element 46 and is provided with terminals 81 and 83 having wires 84 and 85 respectively connected to and extending therefrom. Wire 84 is connected in parallel circuit relation with the motor i5 of the refrigerating system by being secured to the power line 34 at a point between motor 65 and switch 3%. Wire 85 is also connected in parallel circuit relation with the motor i5 by being secured to the power line 35 at a point between motor i 5 and the terminal switch 36. I interpose an electrical resistance unit tit, of any suitable or conventional construction and design, in the wire ("ill at a point intermediate its connection with the power line and its connection with element or socket iii, to complete the apparatus.

In the normal operation of the apparatus the evaporator it produces a refrigerating effect and cools air of the room in which the apparatus is said dehumidification oi the air, means for col lecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, and means for rendering said circulating means inoperative, said last named means being normally ineffective and rendered ei'lective by accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means.

4. In combination, an apparatus including an. element which dehumidifies air, means for circulating a medium through said element to cause said dehumidification of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, said circulating means including a motor and an electric circuit leading thereto, means interposed in said electric circuit for corn trolling operation of said motor, a switch interposed in said electric circuit between said control means and said motor, and means responsive to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for actuating said switch to render said motor inoperative.

5. In combination, an apparatus includingan element which dehumidifies air, means for circulating a medium through said element to cause said dehumidification of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, said circulating means including a motor and an electric circuit leading thereto, means interposed in said electric circuit for controlling operation of said motor, a normally closed thermal overload. means interposed in said electric circuit, a switch interposed in said electric circuit between said thermal overload means and said motor, and means responsive to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for actuating said switch to cause opening of said normally closed thermal overload means to thereby render said motor inoperative.

6. In combination, an apparatus including an element which dehumldifles air, means for circulating a medium through said element to cause said dehumidification of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, said circulating means including a motor and an electric circuit leading thereto, means interposed in said electric circuit for controlling operation of said motor, a normally closed thermal overload means interposed in said electric circuit, a normally open switch interposed in said electric circuit between said thermal overload means and said motor, and means respon-' sive to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for closing said normally open switch to cause opening of said normally closed thermal overload means to thereby render said motor inoperative.

'7. In combination, an apparatus including an element which dehumidifies air, means for cir- U culating a medium through said element to cause said dehumidiflcation of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said aoeaiva apparatus, said circulating means including a motor and an electric circuit leading thereto, means interposed in said electric circuit for controlling operation of said motor, a normally closed thermal overload means interposed in said electric circuit, a switch interposed in said electric circuit between said thermal overload means and said motor, a resistance unit interposed in said electric circuit between said switch and said thermal overload means, and means responsive to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for actuating said switch to energize said resistance unit and cause opening of said normally closed thermal overload means to thereby render said motor inoperative.

it. in combination, an apparatus including an element which dehumidifies air, means for circulating a medium through said element to cause said dehumidiflcation of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, said circulating means including a motor and an electric circuit leading thereto,

means interposed in said electric circuit for con- I trolling operation of said motor, a normally closed thermal overload means interposed in said electric circuit, a normally open switch interposed in said electric circuit between said thermal overload means and said motor, a resistance unit interposed in said electric circuit between said switch and said thermal overload means, and means responsive to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for closing said normally open switch to energize said resistance unit and cause opening of said normally closed thermal overload means to thereby render said motor inoperative.

9. In combination, an apparatus including an element which dehumidifles air, means for circulating a medium through said element to cause said dehumidification of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, and normally ineffective means rendered effective automaticallylin response to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for preventing further accumulation of condensate water in said collecting and conveying means above said predetermined accumulated amount thereof.

10. In combination, an apparatus including an element which dehumidifies air, means for clrculating'a medium through said element to cause said dehumidification of the air, means for collecting condensate water from said element and for normally conveying the water away from said apparatus, and normally ineilective means rendered effective automatically in response to a predetermined accumulation of water in said collecting and conveying means for causing said element to discontinue its dehumidification of the air to thereby prevent accumulation of condensate water in said collecting and conveying means above said predetermined accumulated amount thereof.

HARRY F. SMITH. 

